Good morning, This year I decided I wanted to structure my days a bit more.
Going into the third year of home care for my husband, I had pretty much given up my craft projects. I do not make new year's resolutions but this year, I decided I wanted to be sure to paint several days each week, continue reading, and also get back to slow stitching, don't think weaving is in the picture this year, but perhaps more spinning. I still want to weave a poncho type garment for myself one day.
I needed more structure in my days even though we are at home all the time. I only go out and about for food shopping or doctors visits these days. I was never someone that enjoyed shopping just to shop-when living rural easier to shop online anyways. I can search for what I am looking for with a click of the mouse-haha I never have enjoyed driving either-back when I was working my drive was always 1 to 2 hours each way.
So last night I painted the background with watercolor paints. This morning I used gouache paints. I have a book I picked up several years ago that shows brush strokes-and this book mostly uses inks-which was another reason I picked it up at the time.
I am really enjoying the porcelain pieces I purchased for the water, and the stacked dishes to hold paints-I am using those for the gouache paints. click to enlarge photos for better viewing
This mixed media book is almost full-since these pages are all practice-I am painting on both sides of the pages so they are beginning to curl a bit from the water used. I have about a dozen more pages left.
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The photo showed a different color for the stem but decided I didn't care for that-I may go over that brown stem with green once dry.
Enjoy your day -- sunny here but getting colder in the evenings again well it is winter haha No snow or ice here so far. Thankful for that as I would have steps and a hill to clear.
I'm thrilled that you are making and effort to create a few times a week. While I'm the care giver for Mr. M. art is my place of peace, healing, and taking me away to a place of focus on creativity. I invite you to share this and all of your art adventure with Sunday in the Art Room. SITAR It's the place just for this. Have a great day today.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicole I am making it a point this year to take care of me too as well of my husband.
DeleteThanks for the invite-I will do that hugs
Awesome that you take some time for yourself and are doing something good your soul and mind.
ReplyDeleteThank you yes I needed it
DeleteGlad to read that you're taking time to create. Nice that you can shop online and get stuff.
ReplyDeleteThank you yes it is important
Deletewell-I had a long comment here but it just went somewhere-not sure where. Anyway-I hope winter will treat you well. I like your practice painting and all your dishes. It's nice to have pretty things when you're painting. Stay well dear friend. I got your postcard yesterday! The postmark was Dec. 2 and I got it January 12!
DeleteIf the postcards could talk haha we would learn of it's travels craziness I am not getting my packages now from etsy either sorry your comment was lost
DeleteAgreed. So important to do this. To me, it feeds the soul.
DeleteYes it does-hugs
DeleteJust love your watercolor dishes.... i have a few myself... i think mine are actually little ceramic dishes for cooking... they work great for water coloring too.. ceramic really works best in my opinion.. i don't care for plastic with the watercolor at all... ! I don't have any books but i do follow that one lady online... she paints whimsical like i like.. so she inspires me alot... like you do!!!! Love seeing you paint Kathy! Well i'm headed to go see my Greenland 2 movie... just me, myself and i... Hubby has son in law coming over to play in his workshop later.... Take care of yourself and Larry! Structuring your day is not a bad thing... something i strive for but don't always make it.. :) Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteI love these dishes too, I have always liked hand thrown pottery too-most of our dishes cups and "glasses" are all hand made. enjoy your movie-I had no structure at all taking care of Larry-I need it for me now hugs
Deleteoh and I love this dish set as they stack on top of each other and there is a lid for the top-so perfect for my gouache paints-just re wet them like I do for watercolor paints geez comments acting up again for me
DeleteKathy, your painting is so beautiful! Debra and I just had a conversation about the importance of practicing with more painting. You are on the right track and it shows. I also love your pottery for watercolor and would like to replace my plastics with something like that. Did you find them online?
ReplyDeleteKeep going, your success shows!
Thank you Barbara, when I looked back in this spiral watercolor pad to from before Larry's accident-I was making progress and painting better-so that urged me forward as well.
DeleteI love this stacked little dishes. I found them on amazon-there are several to choose from. and I really like those little ceramic leaves too for the water-It gets me to clean my water more often I don't care for anything plastic if I have another option
Glad you are enjoying your art!
ReplyDeletethank you Christine-you are an inspiration to me-as you share a painting every day
DeleteOnce I retire, will plan a more structured day for myself. Craft more, hook more, stitch more and work a bit at our store. I have it all planned out for the year already. LOL Janice PS...oh I forgot and continue blogging which I will start again in the morning. Janice
ReplyDeleteRetirement is a wonderful thing. I was an operator with the phone co started in late '70s on cordboard-one of the last of those to be still around. I worked soooo many hours I needed almost a year into retirement to do nothing but enjoy and regroup.
DeleteI think its great that you take that time for yourself to paint and do art. Caretaking is hard work and taking care of yourself is important too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I have been ill this past year-stress was a lot of it-so taking a new direction for myself this year
DeleteI am happy getting back to my crafts again and learning to paint
ReplyDeleteDear Kathy, it sounds tough what you do. When Ingo was home from hospital, on and off all I had to do was grocery shopping and fearing. The latter was tough, too.
ReplyDeleteGood you take care of yourself more and yips you paint as I learned cooking from Jamie Oliver: See it as suggestion but do as you feel like :-) Hugs to you and the lake.
Thank you Iris, we have no family, and the few friends we met living in the woods-stopped coming to see us after Larry's accident-a few did the first year and we always said they could go fishing on the dock but the last two years we rarely see people anymore except the package delivery people or when Igo food shopping I see people there. when Larry has physical therapy here at home we do see that person. That's ok it is what it is.
DeleteI am so proud of you Iris learning how to cook and Jamie Oliver is an excellent teacher hugs
Dear Kathy, your painting exercises with their delicate brushstrokes are wonderful. It's so lovely to work with colors at all, whether painting or working with wool or fabric – it's simply wonderful to be able to express your creativity.
ReplyDeleteI wish you much joy and send you my warmest regards – Viola.
P.S. Daily one- to two-hour car commutes to work aren't pleasant memories; I know that feeling and understand completely. I don't enjoy driving either, usually only every few days and for short distances.
Hugs and all my love to you.
Good morning, thank you so much Viola-I am enjoying getting back to painting again-and trying not to be so hard myself too-as I am not a natural at all haha.
DeleteThat was one of the best things for me when I retired-no more long commutes happening. I agree creativity and enjoying all the colors is special
So nice that you found the time and motivation to paint! Even if it is just for a few minutes, it is important that you take time for yourself.
ReplyDeleteGood morning-Yes I have learned that with this journey The sunrises are so gorgeous here-different every morning and right if front of our big windows facing the lake-that was my inspiration to try painting
DeleteEven though I am now retired I still keep a schedule. But I totally get what you say because with my husband home with his bad back it's been tough to keep that schedule. Especially when he wants me to go get this or that for him at the store. :) I love your flowers Kathy. And lucky you to still have no snow. We have so much ice I'm not thrilled about walking around outside. Have fun painting. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteGood morning, yes it is a full time job taking care of our loved ones-the nursing homes close to us are horrible I had toured those before he came home from the hospital and medicare takes all his money and still have to pay more--I would never agree for him to live in those horrible places. the food is horrible, they didn't look clean-he would be so unhappy and once you go there you can't go home unless a doctor approves-and if you bring him home on your own they charge you--the director there told me about how it works.
DeleteIce is horrible-we lived through unreal ice with no power for 19 days a couple years after we retired and moved to the woods-we had wood stoves for heat and I had a gas stove that did not need electric to work-so we were good- stay safe
I think it is good, Kathy, that you have an outlet that helps you. For myself, my outlet is taking walks in nature or being around animals or good people. If I am alone, which is almost always, I do crossword puzzles, watch YouTube or clean and organize my apartment. It takes my mind off any difficulties I may be happen and helps me to shirt my focus. You have wonderful talent in art, and I am happy to see your paintings. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Linda-hugs
DeleteIt's so nice to see you again. I added you to my follow list, as you weren't showing up there, so thanks for coming over to comment. It brought me here! I'm glad you are doing a regular painting practice. I've fallen down on that over the holidays and winter. It was a bad medical fall/early winter. I'm hoping to pick it up again once I get the last of Christmas under control!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, I am happy you found me again-I have had so many issues with blogger sadly. a bit better finally but still difficult to get to writing a blog post.
DeleteI stopped most of my crafts over 2 years ago being Larry's care giver-but this year I must make time for me as well-I should not have stopped painting as I was getting better when I stopped. I do enjoy it as it is very relaxing. stay warm if it is cold by you too
Well done Kathy, facturing in some me-time for yourself. You really need that for your sanity. Being a full-time carer is not easy. (I nursed my husband before he died<)
ReplyDeleteYour practice painting is lovely. The flower is very delicate.
Sorry for the late comment,
Lisca